


Time Can Never Stop (or go back)

by cheesycheese



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Drabbles, M/M, OT3, Time Skips, ninja cuddle piles, teeth rotting fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-24 15:58:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2587355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheesycheese/pseuds/cheesycheese
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*awkwardly laughs*</p><p>I'm not sure what I'm doing here, but it will probably be a collection of random drabbles with no specific timeline.</p><p>(also no one ships these three in any combination which is just heartbreaking)</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *awkwardly laughs*
> 
> I'm not sure what I'm doing here, but it will probably be a collection of random drabbles with no specific timeline.
> 
> (also no one ships these three in any combination which is just heartbreaking)

Gaara doesn't apologize. Not with words, despite the fact that both Neji and Lee figure out he can actually speak (It’s actually funny, after several months once he becomes comfortable. Gaara is awkward, for lack of a better word. Endearingly awkward.) Neji knows that Lee doesn't blame him in the slightest, and the one time Gaara had mentioned it Lee told him to shut up, quiet and unusually blunt.

They’re shinobi after all. They have to do things, all three of them, that they don’t want to do.

They’re shinobi, and rarely do they have a choice.

Neji’s original thought of Lee was ‘idiot’ and Lee has proved him right more times than he could count.

Neji sees the frown on Gaara’s face though (how does someone with no eyebrows even manage to frown?) whenever Lee flexes his hand and arm. The same arm that Gaara shattered to the point where Neji thought Lee would never be able to use it again.

That’s why Lee doesn't blame Gaara. Because Lee truly believes that there isn't anything to forgive. And there isn't. Lee knew, all of them knew, when they agreed to take the Chuunin exams that there was a possibility they could die.

Because even the best, most cautious, most skilled shinobi will eventually die.

And peaceful deaths of old age, for a shinobi, is something that barely exists.

It’s something they all grew up knowing, even if their personal experiences with it are different.

****  
  


Gaara likes to watch Neji and Lee together. When they’re training, there is something that never fails to make him, inwardly at least, smile.

Lee yells constantly about youth and never quitting, Neji rolls his eyes and then proceeds to kick Lee’s ass into next week. That is becoming more and more uncommon though. Even Neji has to work for it, both of them usually collapsing afterwards.

Gaara may be the kazekage but he is still a teenager (that is what he tells himself anyway) so he doesn't hesitate to tell both of them that he thought their youthful vigour was never ending. Lee throws a weight at him, and Gaara really does smile.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Lee doesn't panic. Through the fights, through the running and trying to reach Team 7, reach Gaara. He tells himself he doesn't panic. But when he finally sees Gaara breathing, he feels the weights that he no longer even wears lift from his shoulders.

He sees Neji lean against a tree, hands barely shaking. But this is Neji, and barely tells more than any words ever could.

Gaara is in shock. He did die after all. But he mutters quietly to Lee that it is because Shukaku is gone. He says ‘gone’ like he can’t believe it, and his voice hitches, his face paler than ever. He doesn't seem to know what to do, even when he carefully leans so his arm is resting against Neji's. Lee slides until his side is pressed against Gaara’s, looks at Neji over Gaara’s head and both of them carefully take his hands.  

His hands are cold, and thin, the bones looking breakable against their own. Lee remembers how Gaara told him that the fight with Naruto was the first time he had ever been injured. He’s covered in bruises now, and there is a long thin scratch on his cheekbone.

They say goodbye twice, once in the morning, Gaara looking more relaxed than they have ever seen him, and then later as they’re actually leaving. He winks at both of them as soon as the others are turned away, but Lee still sees Temari's eyes rolling up as if asking the sky what she did to deserve this.

Lee isn't his usual self. Not his ‘usual’ self. He is worse. Neji agrees to the piggyback ride (dear god, how embarrassing except not really because this is Lee and Lee makes him laugh) on the condition that Lee lets him off before they reach the village.

Neji is a Jounin. He really doesn't care.

He has had to be a Hyuuga for years. He really, _really_ doesn't care.

But he is still Neji so when Tenten grins and teases about how he had just as much fun in the race as Lee and Gai he scoffs, because he did but he isn't going to admit it at this particular time.


	3. Chapter 3

Gaara is late. He knows he is late. And for what. He, all of the kage, they failed to stop Madara.

He had died before. Actually died.

And somehow he never really expected to get that close again.

He recognized Orochimaru. She had always seemed to play a part in whatever was going on in the ninja world.

Thankfully, she appeared to be on the side of the alliance this time. Gaara doesn’t question it.

He knows better.

His sand is strange. There is dirt, earth, everywhere. He had to cut the connections with so many people in the fight, just to stay alive.

But the sand is always around, and the sand never truly abandons him, which is why he nearly falls when he hears a scream from far, far away.

**  
  
**

He doesn’t sense them at first. So many shinobi, picking out individuals is impossible, except for Naruto who always seems to shine like an invisible sun, and a strange darkness like an underwater pool which he recognizes as Sasuke. Then he sees green and recognizes Lee.

For a few minutes, there is nothing but relief. And then Gaara gets closer, sees the tear tracks, showing skin underneath grime and blood.

He’s covered in blood, and Gaara feels like he is a child again as his neck goes stiff with fear.

He doesn’t see Neji.

He doesn’t see Neji but he does see the Hyuuga girl, who Neji calls ‘lady’ or increasingly often ‘little sister’ and she determined and also covered in blood.

The things they are fighting don’t bleed red.

“Guard Lee!” He hears someone yell before they and others disappear.

He obeys without question.

Lee is without a doubt one of the strongest fighters Gaara has ever been unfortunate enough to fight.

Standing behind him as a comrade, Gaara sees that Lee is nearly unstoppable.

Naruto isn’t the only one who has grown and improved.

Lee sees Gaara, his shoulders slump and his face loses the lines around his mouth and then he turns back to the enemy.

Gaara has always wished he could have Lee’s focus in battle.

He still doesn’t see Neji, and Gaara forces down the panic because he has orders to protect Lee.

 **  
**They are shinobi, and their job is to fight until they win or die.


	4. Chapter 4

Lee’s body fascinates Neji, although he doesn't ever want to say it at the risk of sounding like he only appreciates Lee in the same way that Shino appreciates an unusual insect.

Maybe it's that Lee, whose body is androgynous underneath the jumpsuit but who has bony shoulders and elbows that go everywhere when he sleeps and well defined biceps and a chest that isn't hard or soft but that Neji likes to rest his head on.

 

He doesn't do it often, because despite his strength Lee is small and Neji is able to tell when the weight of his head makes it difficult for Lee to breath.

 

Gaara is doing his watching but not watching thing, where he looks in the opposite direction of where the two of them are stretched out across the bed, all while watching their every move and Neji is able to see him absently rubbing circles over Lee's shin from where Lee's legs are propped up across Gaara’s lap.

 

Neji feels his lips twitch because he is the last person to ever admit to anything being cute, except for maybe Sasuke, but he doesn't know if he wants to laugh, or to accidentally strangle them to death via a hug because they are adorable.

 

Neji is almost disgusted with himself because it’s Gaara. The Kazekage and Jinchuuriki for the Ichibi, and Lee, who is one of the most skilled taijutsu users Neji has ever had the honor of getting punched through a wall by. Multiple times.

 

Lee shift, just slightly, a soft sound of discomfort escaping and Neji moves, carefully sitting up and then brushing back his hair that escaped from its tie. "Better?" he asks wryly, Lee beaming up at him as he shakes feeling back into the arm that Neji had been resting on. "You can come back," Lee says, his hand already tugging Neji back so that this time his side is against Lee rather than resting on him. Lee doesn't let go of his hand, and Neji grips it tightly for a second before holding a questioning hand out towards the redhead leaning across the headboard on the other side of the bed. Gaara, somehow, manages to look as if he is raising an eyebrow at the two of them, until Lee holds up his own and makes grabby hand gestures. Gaara smiles, an actual smile, barely there but there nonetheless as he says, "Move over," to Neji and then slips into the gap between the brunette and Lee.

 

Gaara is solid in a way that Lee isn't so Neji relaxes, curling up and over until he's touching Lee from across Gaara’s body, confident knowing that if Gaara wants him to move he won't hesitate to tell him.

 

 

 

 

Gaara has never met two people who are so different.

 

Neji who moves like a dancer, every step perfectly measured and deliberate, unlike Lee. Lee is a dancer too, Gaara thinks, looking at him from where he has appeared to doze off against his shoulder.

If Lee were a dancer he would be an expert at improvisation, instead of subtle movements his dancing would be designed to catch and hold the eye.

 

Against his other side, Neji shifts, and Gaara feels hair tickling his collarbone. Gaara twitches his hand, just slightly and Neji moves, peering over Gaara at Lee who is still motionless. Gaara catches his eye, mouths,' don't wake him,’ and hears Neji exhale a soundless laugh before he lies back down, his chin where his hair was a few moments earlier. His hand is still brushing Gaara’s from where he leaned, and Gaara doesn’t move except to hook his index finger around Neji’s thumb.

 

Really everything about Lee is eye catching though in the end. Everything from his jumpsuit, to his physical presence. Gaara had only recently learned that Lee is perfectly capable of protecting himself while asleep, thankfully secondhand from Neji.

 

 

 

"I thought you might like to meet Neji, my rival and teammate!" Gaara pauses in the doorway at the way Lee is standing. His hand isn't out, but he clearly is expecting Gaara to agree. He doesn’t wait for Gaara to answer though. "Great! This way," and Lee is speed walking down through the hallway. Gaara blinks, because only a minute earlier they had run into a nurse who had lectured Lee on not running through the building. Realizing he is about to lose Lee around a corner, Gaara follows until his nose is nearly level with Lee’s shoulder blades.

No matter what the village’s relationship is- which is mostly cordial at this point- Gaara definitely does not want to be left alone for some reason he can't place. "A lot of people think Neji is cold but he is a very good fighter and usually polite, so try to get along with him!" Lee says, glances back, looking until Gaara nods in understanding. "He also doesn't talk very much so you two should get along great!"

Lee, Gaara had thought in that instant, has a way of phrasing things badly, being oblivious, and also being completely right.

 

Lee wasn't wrong that time, Neji was rather cold, downright antagonistic the first time they met, but he also happened to be the first person that Gaara had ever seen use sarcasm against a village elder, and get away with it.  Gaara doesn’t know if anyone is Suna is even aware of what sarcasm is.

Neji had caught Gaara’s eye a split second after he had spoken, and Gaara had nearly laughed at the way the elder had continued on, apparently oblivious. He wondered later if it had been a test of some sort, because back then Neji had almost never done something for the sake of doing it in front of him.

 But Neji definitely wasn't quiet. He certainly didn't talk as much as Lee, but then, Gaara doesn't think he had ever met anyone that talked as much as Lee.

Neji, Gaara had thought after he had been dragged out to eat barbeque after they had returned from attempting to retrieve Sasuke, is someone who prefers to protect himself by not speaking, as if he has so many thoughts in his head he is afraid to let them out.

 

 

Gaara still doesn't sleep much but he sighs softly, comfortable where he is between Lee and Neji.

 

Lee is not asleep. He is good at faking it, at relaxing so that the correct parts of his body droop down against Gaara’s side and the bed, at controlling his breathing until it’s so slow he knows that he could fall asleep if he wanted.

He almost wants to, but at the same time not. It’s rare… to be around both Gaara and Neji, to be able to relax knowing that both of them are there with him.

The truth is that he sees Gaara almost more than he ever sees his genin teammate.

He misses Neji in a way that he doesn’t miss Gaara. Gaara is busy running a village most of the time, he is blunt, doesn’t feel the slightest issue with speaking his mind.

Gaara is more affectionate than Neji, something that caused Naruto to make a face and call for another glass when Lee had told him.

Lee is happy, so happy that he has to physically restrain himself from dancing around the room because it’s been two years, _two entire years_ , and Gaara and Neji are willingly touching each other and without Lee as a buffer. He can tell by the positions of their bodies and the quiet movements that they were holding hands for a few moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is getting excessively ooc. I don't care.
> 
> I do what I want.


	5. Chapter 5

Neji doesn't know where he is standing.

 

It's sunrise, the sand buildings around them turning every color of pink and gold from the light, even as the trees around him filter the light and cast shadows.

 

Gaara is there, sitting across from Lee who seems to be teaching him a hand clapping game.

 

Lee is serious, almost the serious Neij has seen in fights, but his eyes are far too light, Gaara is smiling again, slight lines around his nose and the upturned corners of his mouth.

 

Neji suddenly thinks that he would like to see those lines become permanent, and pronounced with age.

 

"Neji." He looks up, both Gaara and Lee staring at him. Gaara holds out his hand, palm up. Neji doesn't take the offered hand, but sits beside him, his knee knocking into Gaara’s shoulder.

 

 

 

And then it changes, and Neji remembers.

 

The three of them, all standing and facing each other.

 

Neji wonders, because Lee and Gaara are both dressed for battle, and as he watches, Lee crumples to his knees, while Gaara stares.

His hand raises- that same hand Neji nearly took before- as if to touch Neji’s face before it falls away.

 

"This seems to be goodbye, doesn't it?" is all he can say haltingly. He wonders, panicking, Madara succeeded, if they are now dead, if they are trapped in dreams, not life.

 

Lee is staring at the ground, and Neji almost wants to laugh because of how scratched and dirty he is before Lee speaks.

 

"I'm not angry."

 

Neji stares at Lee. "I don't know if it’s something you thought I would be, but you look scared. And I know. We both do." Lee gestures towards Gaara before dragging his sleeve across his eyes with a loud sniffle.

"It’s Naruto. And Tenten. Everyone else. Not just us-" Lee's words break off into a sob even as he laughs, wiping angrily at his eyes. "I just said I’m not angry but I am."

He slumps, looking for this first time since Neji has known him completely exhausted, looks _defeated_ in a way Neji never succeeded in making him look from the moment they and Tenten were put together in a team.

It hurts to see.

 

"You _left us Neji_. You’re not coming back. I don’t know if we'll wake up, but you're still gone. You're still _gone_."

His fist lightly hits Neji in the chest, and then from his right, Gaara does the same, his other hand on the back of Lee’s neck.

 

Neji doesn’t even remember moving his own hand, until it’s resting against Lee’s cheekbone. "......I didn't get to say goodbye, did I."

 

His hand, his thumb is scratched; scarred over from so many hours of hitting wooden targets. Against Lee’s dark cheekbones the scarring seems even more intense.

 

Neji moves his right hand until it’s against the curve of Gaara’s jawline.

His skin is like porcelain- no, more like a gemstone that has been carefully sanded down until it’s so smooth that there isn't the slightest catch.

His skin is warm, and Neji gives himself a second, _just a single second_ , to close his eyes, pull them close and breathe. Their weight is heavy, but its familiar, its welcoming in a way few things are.

 

It’s quiet when he whispers it, barely breathing the words out.

When he open his eyes, he is alone.

 

 

Gaara and Lee wake up from the infinite Tsukuyomi.

 

Gaara doesn’t even bother to stand, just crawls forward until he can help Lee lean up, both of them starring at the destruction around them.

Dawn is breaking, and Lee stares at the utterly destroyed terrain around them.

“Lee.” Gaara stops, drawing a quick breath. His eyes are wide, staring at nothing. Lee grabs his hand, his grip so hard that Gaara feels the bones grind against each other.

Lee clears his throat, voice rough. “I heard him, too.”

 

Close by, other nin are starting to stir, some of them in shock, others outright sobbing as reality sets in from their dreams.

 

They are still, neither moving as they watch the sun rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's...... been awhile. Sorry. And Sorry that the update was this.


End file.
